Motion planning for multiple mobile manipulators

We address the motion planning for "fixtureless" material-handling with multiple manipulators on nonholonomic carts. The mobile manipulators possess the ability to manipulate and transport objects while holding them in a stable grasp. We present a general approach that allows generation of optimal trajectories and actuator inputs for any given maneuver. Constraints such as limitations on the turning radii of the mobile manipulators or bounds on their separation can be easily incorporated into the planning scheme. Numerical solutions for several maneuvers including abrupt turns, parallel parking in cluttered environments and changes in formation are computed. Finally, we present experimental results with two mobile manipulators.

Authors

• Jaydev P. Desai
• Chau-Chang Wang
• Milos Zefran
• Vijay Kumar 0001

Keywords

• Manipulators
• Mobile robots
• Motion planning
• Force sensors
• Control systems
• Feedback
• Robot sensing systems
• Laboratories
• Actuators
• Turning
• Multiple Users
• Path Planning
• Mobile Manipulator
• Actuator
• Optimal Control
• Single File
• Mobile Platform
• Optimal Control Problem
• Trajectory Optimization
• Optimal Input
• Trajectory Generation
• Examples Of Such Systems
• Cost Function
• Equation Of State
• Relative Orientation
• Variational Problem
• Linear Velocity
• Optimal Plan
• Slack Variables
• Joint Limits
• Revolute Joints
• Position Feedback